CANON sells Defective New Cameras for Full Price, and then replaces Cameras under Warranty with Refurbished Old Cameras that have no value.
I purchased a brand new CANON PowerShot SX500 IS digital camera, through BestBuy in West Hollywood, Los Angeles.
I tried the camera Only Once. It was unusable. Focus was off, perspective views were excessively distorted, images were fuzzy and there were purple outlines where different color areas met.
I sent it back to CANON for repair. They replied by email that they would repair it at no charge. However, instead of repairing it, they replaced it with an old refurbished camera.
I called CANON Customer Service several times stating that this was not acceptable. I really wanted a New Camera, and I paid full price for it. If I had wanted a 2nd hand camera, I could have purchased a refurbished one from the start and paid a lot less.
Eventually I got to speak with a supervisor at CANON Customer Service. He was very unpleasant. He said that this was CANON's policy: if you send back a camera under warranty they don't repair it, they replace it with a refurbished camera.
I am shocked at CANON's lack of ethics. I would sue CANON, but that would cost me more than buying a new camera from a different, reputable company like Nikon.
I have had 3 Nikon cameras - they were perfect and lasted for years, until I decided to upgrade to newer models.
It was stupid to try a purchase from CANON. I will never again make that mistake.
If anyone is working on a class action suit against CANON, I would happily join them.
I advise everyone NEVER to purchase a CANON Camera!
Fran
Los Angeles,#2Author of original report
Tue, August 13, 2013
I would like to Update my Report of July 23, 2013.
In August I called CANON Customer Service again.
This time I reached a supervisor who was very respectful and helpful. He immediately sent me a brand new camera to replace the defective one. This new camera works well. He also sent a prepaid shipping label so that I could return the refurbished camera after I received the new one.
I still find it a Ripoff when defective new products under warranty are replaced with refurbished products. Canon is not the only company that does this!
However, my opinion of CANON has improved significantly since my most recent experience with their Customer Service Dept., and since they sent me a new camera that works.